Corruption allegations brought against DA Kouga due to alleged illegal donations from AfriForum

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the local Kouga municipality is currently under investigation for improper management of public funds and corruption by the commercial crime unit in Jeffrey Bay, after the former adviser to the African National Congress (ANC)Phumzile Oliphant launched criminal offenses against this party the charges. Oliphant filed a case against the district attorney on Wednesday at Jeffrey Bay police station.

According to Oliphant, the management of public funds was ineffective in 2009/2010, when “the regime established a foundation based on parishes, with the aim of assisting various parishes in solving the urgent problems faced by the community.” Oliphant said that at that time the approved amount was 100,000 rands. He said that the funds should have been used to support local small and medium-sized enterprises, programs for the elderly, education, sports and recreation, agricultural development, etc. “However, this fund should have been stopped in accordance with the recommendation of the Auditor General due to the lack of provisions in the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA),” said Oliphant.

“From the conclusion of the General Auditor, it was established that the continuation of this fund will be considered as useless and wasteful spending.”

Oliphant said that the PD, when it adopted the municipality after the local elections in 2016, reintroduced this foundation in direct conflict with the conclusion and resolution of the General Audit. Then Oliphant presented a graph from his results, which shows that the money that should have been used for the development of the community (even contrary to the resolution of the AG) was allegedly paid to AfriForum as donations.

The schedule states that payments in the amount of 82,000 and 88,000 rands were paid from chambers 3 and 11, presumably, by AfriForum. However, the schedule does not indicate the dates of the estimated payments.

“It should be noted with regret and anxiety that two members of the ward council donated huge amounts of 100,000 rands to AfriForum,” he said.

“The donation of these funds by AfriForum by two advisers is in direct violation of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), since it does not stipulate that such bodies as AfriForum can receive donations from the state budget. “Clarity is needed on how AfriForum is related to the development of Ward. “Obviously, these advisers used public funds to help AfriForum in the implementation of its hostile program against our government.”